Warning for bacon lovers
 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6560121.stm


--
Peter Aitken

Warning for bacon lovers
 

"Peter A" > wrote in message
...
>
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6560121.stm
>

Thanks, Peter, that is really useful information, as I am an ex-smoker and
was diagnosed with asthma a few years ago. Happily, Advair controls it so it
is likely just asthma and not emphesema--yet.

The material in the article does not surprise me--I've never been
fat-phobic, but nitrites scare me. We've learned to enjoy our eggs without
bacon and to have our lucious roasted picnic ham three times a year at the
most. My big weakness is sausage in bean soups, and I can find that made
fresh without nitrites.

Another concern: someone, a biochemist IIRC, told me that when they fed rats
aspartame and nitrites, 9 out of 10 of them developed cancer in short order.
He then pointed out that a ham sandwich and a diet coke was what an awful
lot of people have for lunch. Scary.

Warning for bacon lovers
 

"cybercat" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Peter A" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6560121.stm
>>
>
> Thanks, Peter, that is really useful information, as I am an ex-smoker and
> was diagnosed with asthma a few years ago. Happily, Advair controls it so
> it is likely just asthma and not emphesema--yet.
>
> The material in the article does not surprise me--I've never been
> fat-phobic, but nitrites scare me. We've learned to enjoy our eggs without
> bacon and to have our lucious roasted picnic ham three times a year at the
> most. My big weakness is sausage in bean soups, and I can find that made
> fresh without nitrites.
>
> Another concern: someone, a biochemist IIRC, told me that when they fed
> rats aspartame and nitrites, 9 out of 10 of them developed cancer in short
> order. He then pointed out that a ham sandwich and a diet coke was what an
> awful lot of people have for lunch. Scary.
>

Some years back, PBS ran a documentary about doctors hunting for the causes
of strange cancer clusters. In one example, the Chinese government, in a
rare admission of defeat, invited some American doctors to a small village
where the rate of esophageal cancer was simply outrageous. They found that
the villagers had a traditional pickled cabbage thing they made every year.
In the pickling vats, a foam would develop which they considered to be a
delicacy. Turns out it was loaded with nitrites. Once the researchers put an
end to the consumption of that stuff, the cancer rate dropped precipitously.
Very interesting.

Warning for bacon lovers
 

"Peter A" > wrote in message
...
>
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6560121.stm
>
>
> --
> Peter Aitken

So if I understand this correctly If I stop smoking I can have bacon every other
day and be even with the board?

:-)

Dimitri

Warning for bacon lovers
 

On Tue, 17 Apr 2007 17:40:25 GMT, "Dimitri" >
wrote:

>
>"Peter A" > wrote in message
...
>>
>> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6560121.stm
>>
>>
>> --
>> Peter Aitken
>
>So if I understand this correctly If I stop smoking I can have bacon every other
>day and be even with the board?

Depends on what you're smoking. tee-hee

Warning for bacon lovers
 

Peter A wrote:
>
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6560121.stm

The danger only applies to cured bacon. In the
U.S., uncured bacon is widely available. I bought
some Niman Ranch uncured bacon a few hours ago
at Trader Joe's. Whole Foods offers their
own house brand.

Uncured bacon lacks the dangerous N-nitroso
compounds and their precursors. In my experience,
it tastes just as good as cured bacon.